F. Walter Jones

Articles

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Originally appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette here.

Obituary: F. Walter Jones / Shady Side Academy leader never failed to inspire

June 14, 1922 - Feb. 18, 2012

Sunday, February 19, 2012

By Deborah M. Todd, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pinpointing the single greatest accomplishment in the life of an acclaimed artist, athlete and educator isn't difficult for friends and family of F. Walter Jones, who say it was passing his values on to others.

"He was the type of person who if he saw something needed to be done he set about doing it," said daughter Nancy Artz, 64, of Highland Park. "He wasn't trying to put himself forward as an example but a lot of people noticed what he was doing and tried to follow that example."

Mr. Jones, 89, of Hampton, died Saturday at Canterbury Place Assisted Living Facility in Lawrenceville. The retired educator, who held numerous positions over a 43-year career at Shady Side Academy, was also known as a standout basketball player, dedicated coach and athletic director, and for his contributions to Pittsburgh's arts community.

His contributions as a star basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh were recognized with a stone plaque in the campus' Omicron Delta Kappa Walk of Fame. Mr. Jones was part of the collective of artists who established the Pittsburgh Society of Artists in 1965.

PSA co-founder Cynthia Cooley said demand for Mr. Jones' watercolors had risen over the past few years since he wasn't exhibiting his work and only created a few new paintings for family and close friends.

"He painted wonderful watercolors, very detailed and beautiful images of landscapes," she said.

Mrs. Artz said her father enjoyed the act of passing his creations on to loved ones more than any potential profit.

"He wasn't particularly interested in selling his paintings. He wasn't as comfortable asking for money but loved doing them for the people he loved," she said.

For as much time, effort and passion Mr. Jones put into his art, he always had a wealth of energy to spare when it came to teaching. And over the course of four decades at Shady Side Academy, serving as teacher, coach, athletic director and director of admissions, he had the opportunity to touch the lives of thousands in his classes as well as countless others who were touched by his actions indirectly.

"Shady Side Academy lost a true icon today who epitomized the teacher, counselor, coach model so valued in our community," said school president Tom Cangiano in an email message. Offering condolences to Mr. Jones' friends and family, he noted the lasting impact the retired teacher had on students.

"Countless other legends ... cite him as primarily if not solely responsible for the people that they are today. We will miss Walter in ways that words cannot express."

Mrs. Artz said she contacted more than 3,000 of his former students around his 80th birthday to comment on how he affected their lives. She said comments came in by the thousands, most of them noting small moments where his morality and work ethic shone through. After retirement, she said he established the F. Walter Jones Service Prize at Shady Side Academy to honor individuals within the school he saw displaying examples of "selfless service."

With his own family, Mrs. Artz said her father was equally creative and fun, encouraging the children and grandchildren to take part in his love of the outdoors and nature. A volunteer with the Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, he never missed an opportunity to take the crew to the trails, or to other outdoor spaces where they could soak in the beauty he always found time to appreciate.

With hobbies including poetry, horseshoes, fly-fishing, playing the harmonica and gardening, Mr. Jones was never at a loss for activities, but was also never hesitant to drag friends and family along to introduce them to his interests. This lifelong inclination to teach never faltered, as he was teaching a single student to paint watercolors not long before falling ill.

"He was a really intellectually curious person who was always interested in learning and he imported that within us," said Mrs. Artz.

In addition to Mrs. Artz, Mr. Jones is survived by sons Tom, 62, and Ken, 55, both of Houston, Texas; Sam, 50, of Mechanicsburg; and daughter Cathy Schmid, 58, of Wooster, Ohio; as well as several children and grandchildren.

A public reception to celebrate Mr. Jones' life will be held at the Paul G. Benedum Jr. Student Center in Rowe Hall at Shady Side Academy from 2 to 5 p.m. March 3. The service and internment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Shady Side Academy in care of the F. Walter Jones Scholarship Fund, 423 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238 or the Audubon at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve, 614 Dorseyville Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15238

Deborah M. Todd: dtodd@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1652.

First published on February 19, 2012 at 12:00 am